(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to a hand-held and hand-operated liquid sprayer typically called a trigger sprayer. In particular, the present invention pertains to an indexing nozzle assembly for a trigger sprayer that has a manually rotatable cap mounted for rotation on a liquid spinner of the nozzle assembly. Rotation of the cap changes the nozzle assembly between an off condition, a spray condition, a second off condition, and a stream condition of liquid discharged from an orifice of the nozzle assembly in one continuous rotation of the cap. In addition, the spatial relationship between an end surface of the liquid spinner and an interior wall of the cap that surrounds the discharge orifice improves the stream configuration of the liquid discharged by the nozzle assembly.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Hand-held and hand-operated liquid sprayers commonly known as trigger sprayers are well known in the liquid sprayer art. Trigger sprayers are commonly used to dispense household cleaning or cooking liquids in a stream pattern, a spray pattern, or as a foam. A trigger sprayer is typically connected to a plastic bottle containing the liquid dispensed by the trigger sprayer.
A typical trigger sprayer is comprised of a sprayer housing that is connected to a neck of the liquid containing bottle by either a treaded connection or a bayonet-type connection. The sprayer housing is formed with a pump chamber, a vent chamber, a liquid discharge passage communicating the pump chamber with a discharge orifice of the trigger sprayer and a liquid supply passage communicating the pump with a dip tube that extends into the liquid of the bottle when the trigger sprayer housing is attached to the bottle neck.
A pump piston is mounted in the pump chamber for reciprocating movements of the pump piston between charge and discharge positions relative to the pump chamber. A vent piston is often connected to the pump piston and is mounted in the vent chamber for reciprocating movements of the vent piston between a closed venting position and an open venting position of the vent piston relative to the vent chamber. A spring is usually provided in the sprayer housing pump chamber for biasing the pump piston and the vent piston toward their respective charge and closed positions.
A trigger is mounted on the sprayer housing by a pivot connection at one end of the trigger. The trigger is also connected to the pump piston and the vent piston. Repeating the sequence of manually squeezing the trigger toward the sprayer housing against the bias of the pump chamber spring, and then releasing the trigger oscillates the trigger about its pivot connection and reciprocates the pump piston between its charge and discharge positions relative to the pump chamber as well as reciprocates the vent piston between its closed and opened positions relative to the vent chamber.
A pair of check valves or one-way valves are assembled in the sprayer housing. One of the check valves is provided in the sprayer housing between the pump chamber and the liquid supply passage. This valve controls the flow of liquid from the dip tube and through the supply passage to the pump chamber and prevents the reverse flow of liquid from the pump chamber to the dip tube. The second check valve is positioned between the pump chamber and the liquid discharge passage. This valve controls the flow of liquid from the pump chamber to the liquid discharge passage and prevents the reverse flow of liquid from the liquid discharge passage to the pump chamber.
A nozzle assembly having a discharge orifice is assembled to the sprayer housing at the outlet of the liquid discharge passage. The liquid discharge passage usually contains a liquid spinner assembly. The spinner assembly has a swirl chamber at one end of the spinner assembly adjacent the nozzle orifice.
In trigger sprayers having selectable discharge conditions, the nozzle assembly includes a cap that is mounted over the spinner assembly. The cap is rotatable between an off position where discharge from the nozzle assembly is prevented, a spray position where the discharge of liquid from the nozzle orifice is in a spray pattern, a stream position where the discharge of liquid is in a stream pattern, and/or a foam position where the discharge of liquid is converted to a foam.
From the manual oscillating movement of the trigger that reciprocates the pump piston in the pump chamber, the liquid is drawn from the bottle through the dip tube past the first check valve to the pump chamber. The liquid is then pumped from the pump chamber through the liquid discharge passage and the second check valve to the liquid spinner and the discharge orifice and is dispensed from the trigger sprayer. By rotating the nozzle assembly cap, the trigger sprayer can be changed from an off condition where discharge is prevented, to a spray condition where the discharge is as a spray, to a stream condition where the discharge is as a stream, and/or to a foam condition where the discharge is as a foam.
The typical trigger sprayer described above has the cap mounted on the nozzle assembly of the sprayer for rotation of the cap in only one direction. Movement of the cap from the off position to one of the spray, stream, or foam positions often requires rotating the cap through an undesired spray, stream, or foam position. For example, if it is desired to discharge liquid from the trigger sprayer as a stream, it is often necessary to move the cap from the off position through the spray position to move the cap to the stream position. In addition, to move the cap back to its off position when use of the trigger sprayer is finished, it is necessary again to rotate the cap from the stream position through the spray position to move the cap to the off position.
Use of trigger sprayers of this type often results in discharging liquid from the trigger sprayer in a condition that wasn't intended. For example, discharging the liquid as a spray covering a large area with the liquid when it was desired to discharge the liquid as a stream directed to only a small area. Furthermore, when use of the trigger sprayer is finished, the cap at times will not be rotated far enough to position it in the off position. This could result in the liquid leaking from the trigger sprayer when it is stored if the trigger sprayer should be knocked over onto its side.